Walter F. Buckley

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Walter Frederick Buckley (1922, - Jan 26, 2006) was an American Professor of sociology. He was among the first to apply concepts from general systems theory (GST) based on the work of Bertalanffy to sociology. The sociologist was not specifically aligned to either the cybernetics or the general systems movements.[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Buckley was born in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1922. He received the Ph.D. degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin. He was a professor at the University of New Hampshire between 1971-1985 and honorary chair of the Socio-Cybernetics Research Committee of the International Sociological Association in 1998; he has been described as a pioneer in social systems theory that challenged conventional views.[2]

Buckley also appreciated jazz music and played tenor saxophone. He died in 2006 in Durham, New Hampshire. His wife Cicely still lives in Durham, NH today. He has a daughter named Helen and son named Mark.[3]

[edit] Work

Buckley was one of the first pioneers to correctly apply systems concepts to the social sciences.[4]

[edit] Modern systems theory

Modern systems theory is an increasingly popular yet heavily contested theoretical approach in sociology. In particular, Niklas Luhmann’s theory of self-referential social systems consisting of communications (rather than persons) has attracted both ardent followers and fierce criticism.[5] In Sociology and Modern Systems Theory (1967) [6][7] Buckley affirms that the modern systems perspective is proving conceptual tools that are taking the mysticism out of the notion of "immanent change" and the harboring of "seeds" of an institution's own destruction-or construction.[8]

Buckley, reckoning with the specific nature of social systems, stressed already in this work in the 1960s the as-such hardly surprising fact, that social systems are essentially different from biological and technical ones, the most frequent studied systems till then -- and studied largely with the aid of classical first order cybernetics. It took almost a decade for systems concepts to be applied to the social sciences. In response in 1978 by Geyer and van der Zanten the term sociocybernetics was introduced to refer to the interpenetration of general systems theory and the social sciences -- not merely to the one-way traffic of applying concepts form general systems theory without further reflection to the social sciences. Geyer and van der Zanten were convinced that the emergence of the so-called second-order cybernetics was largely die to the increasing focus, within general systems theory on the social sciences.[4]

In Modern systems theory Buckley focused on structure and organizational properties. Buckley recognized "varying degrees of systemsness" based on the nature of organization of the systems into systemic relationschip )p.42). He pointed out, according to Roberta R. Greene, that the key system's assumption, that the whole is more than the sum of its parts, becomes clear when the unique relationship characteristics of the whole are understood: The "more than" points to the fact of organization, which impacts to the aggregate characteristics that are not only different from, but not found in the components alone; and the "sum of the parts"must be taken to mean, not their numerical addition, but their unorganized aggregation.[9]

[edit] Modern Systems Research for the Behavioral Scientist

In 1968 with Modern Systems Research for the Behavioral Scientist Buckley compiled an anthology of readings on General Systems Theory, Systems science and Behavioral sciences. With over 50 articles of the most famous systems scientists a state of the art is give of:[10]

  • General Systems Research
  • Parts, Wholes, and Levels of Integration
  • Systems, Organization and the Logic of Relations
  • Information, Communication, and Meaning
    • Entropy and Life
    • Behavior and Meaning
  • Cybernetics: Purpose, Self-Regulation and Self-Direction
    • Cybernetics and Purpose
    • Homeostatis and Evolution
  • Self-Regulation and Self-Direction in Psychological Systems
  • Self-Regulation and Self-Direction in Sociocultural Systems
    • Social Control: Internal Variety and Constraints
    • Social Control: Organizational Goal Seeking
    • Decision Processes and Group Structure

With readings in these directions Buckley wanted to survey the major research findings and applications of systems theory relevant to the behavioral sciences.

[edit] Mind and Brain: A Dynamic System Model

In his 1998 paper Mind and Brain: A Dynamic System Model Walter Buckley outlines a systemic process model of mind/brain relations and the generation and maintenance of consciousness and mental events in terms of an organism environment complex recursive loop. It is presented as a scientific approach utilizing concepts of modern science and technology. A brain alone theory is questioned but the nervous system is given its due within the broader loop. This avoids a dualism as the only alternative to brain physicalism. Consciousness and mentality are seen as dynamic system processes, not entities with a spatial or temporal locus. The various phases of this organism environment loop, within which conscious events are generated, are discussed: sensory input, perception and cognition, decision, and motor output back on to the environment. If the loop is cut anywhere for long, consciousness is impaired or ceases. Along the way a number of conceptual stumbling blocks to a scientific theory are addressed and resolutions suggested.[11]

[edit] Society as a complex adaptive system

In an attempt to reestablish a firm scientific foundation for contemporary sociology, Buckley (1998) in his Society—A Complex Adaptive System presents a collection of essays incorporates current extensions to a systems approach, such as "complex adaptive systems" and aspects of contemporary dynamic systems theory. General problem areas in basic theory and methodology are addressed, and then the book develops to focus on the more empirically relevant core of social theory - sociocultural regulation and control - with concern for adaptive structure changing and structure conserving aspects. In addition, this Buckley focused on dynamic system processes rather than static structural or functional concepts.[12]

[edit] Publications

The sociologist made three major contributions to systems theory and sociology:

  • 1967, Sociology and Modern Systems Theory with foreword from Anatol Rapoport, Prentice Hall 227 p.
  • 1968, Modern Systems Research for the Behavioral Scientist[13]
  • 1998, Society—A Complex Adaptive System : Essays in Social Theory, Routledge 312 p.

[edit] References

  1. ^ American Society for Cybernetics, Timeline for the Evolution of Cybernetics, 2003,
  2. ^ UNH Alumni in Memoriam: Walter F. Buckley, University of New Hampshire, 2006.
  3. ^ Walter F. Buckley, Research Committee on Sociocybernetics, 2006.
  4. ^ a b R.F. Geyer and G. v.d. Zouwen (1992), "Sociocybernetics", in: Cybernetics and Applied Systems, C.V. Negoita ed. p.96.
  5. ^ Boris Holzer, De-differentiation and Modern Systems Theory, 2006.
  6. ^ Alden Dykstra Miller, Sociology and Modern Systems Theory. by Walter Buckley, in Social Forces, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Mar., 1968), pp. 410-411
  7. ^ John Child, "Sociology and Modern Systems Theory" in: Sociology 1968 nr 2, p.245.
  8. ^ Louis Schneider, Jay A. Weinstein (1984), The Grammar of Social Relations: The Major Essays of Louis Schneider, p. 229.
  9. ^ Roberta R. Greene (1999), Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice, Aldine Transaction, p.223.
  10. ^ Overview of this book on the ISSS website, retrieved 24.03.2008.
  11. ^ (Spanish) abstracts
  12. ^ Walter F. Buckley (1998), Society—A Complex Adaptive System, Routledge 312 p.
  13. ^ Overview of this book on the ISSS website, retrieved 24.03.2008.

[edit] External links